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Show JV Football Team's Kicker Breaks Stereotype Barriers game of football is all about. That's why I love it," she said. Although football is Ahsli's favorite sport, she also participates in many other sports. She is a member of the high school varsity crosscountry cross-country and track team, point-guard point-guard for the basketball team, and plays on a city league baseball team. Ashli loves the competitive nature of sports. Her dream is to play for a PAC 10 school. "Whenever I play a sport, I know I'm home. I just love everything about sports," she said. by Danica Baird ' Student Writer Look closely at the members of Pleasant Grove High School's football team and there is a noticeable difference: one of the team's kickers is a girl. Junior Ashli Shultz kicks field goals for the junior varsity team. Ashli started playing flag football in fourth grade and fell in love with the aggression of the game. In ninth grade, she tried out for the football team. "I didn't want to be like every other girl who says that they wish they had played football. I wanted to actually do it," she said. She started playing as a defensive back and wide receiver. However, the high school coach suggested that she become a field-goal kicker. Ashli was happy with the change and loves kicking for the high school team. She believes that her technique has greatly improved this season enabling her to kick further than ever before. She said, "The hardest part about being a girl football player is the judgments made by people who just don't understand why I play football. You get judged a lot, but you have to brush it off." Visiting teams are often surprised when they realize that Pleasant Grove's field-goal kicker is a girl. Howevever, Ashli feels at home on the football field. Her teammates treat her like any other guy on the field and she prefers it that way. Ashli doesn't care that she is a girl in a male-dominated sport. She comes ready to play just like every other person on the field. "I'm not afraid of getting injured. You have to be confident. That's what the 1 1 1 ; v ". - " V .V'V. r-y r-y A ,Wy - N (.1 Ashli Shultz says, "The hardest part about being a girl football player is the judgments made by people who just don '1 understand why I play football. You get judged a lot, but you have to brush it off." Photo courtesy of Danica Baird |